Political Dig

Republicans Just Voted To Cut $1.5 Trillion From Medicare To Allow Tax Cut For The Rich

In an incredibly cruel move, Senate Republicans on Thursday night voted to pass a sweeping budget measure, providing massive tax giveaways to corporations and the super-rich while eviscerating funding for social programs, healthcare, education, and affordable housing.

The vote drew ire from Democrats who called the measure “despicable” and “horrific.”

“It’s not a bad bill. It’s a horrific bill,” declared Sen. Sanders after its passage. Sanders also called the proposal “Robin Hood in reverse” for taking from the poor to give to the rich

“Another dark deed done: GOP passes obscene budget to slash Medicare/Medicaid & explode the deficit – all in the name of tax cuts for the 1%.” —Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), also condemned the budget put forth by her Republican colleagues as “garbage”.

The measure passed by 51-49 vote, with only one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, joining every Democrat and the chamber’s two Independents who voted against it. Its approval now paves that way for massive tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations envisioned by President Donald Trump and the GOP in both the House and the Senate.

“51 Republican Senators just voted to cut Medicaid by $1 trillion and Medicare by $500 billion so that millionaires and corporations can get a tax cut. It’s immoral and despicable,” said TJ Helmstetter, a spokesperson for Americans for Tax Fairness, in a statement immediately following the vote.

In the wake of its passage, MoveOn.org’s Ben Wikler said the Senate vote represents the “starting gun for what might be the most consequential legislative fight of the Trump era: the looting of the U.S. treasury to reward billionaire GOP donors and mega-corporations, at the expense of the rest of us.”

Tax For Fairness released a statement on Twitter condemning the bill as “shameful”:

“51 GOP Sens. voted to slash Medicaid by $1T, Medicare by $500B, & other working family priorities just so the 1% can get BIG tax cuts. SHAME,” the organization wrote.

51 GOP Sens. voted to slash Medicaid by $1T, Medicare by $500B, & other working family priorities just so the 1% can get BIG tax cuts. SHAME pic.twitter.com/diqckrg9JT